Saturday, November 17, 2012

Is there an anti-freeze I can put in the water to keep it melted in the winter? ~ Ann Arbor, MI

Excellent question! Water is one of the most important necessities for birds
year-round. Most people understand the importance of water for drinking
but many do not realize just how important bathing is for birds, especially in the winter.
Because feathers are critical for flight and insulation, birds keep
them well-maintained. A good part of a bird's day is spent just
cleaning and grooming its feathers by bathing, scratching, and preening.

However, Anti-freeze should never beadded to a bird bath. Ethylene glycol, the primary ingredient in antifreeze is TOXIC
and should NEVER be ADDED TO WATER where animals have access.

To keep open water available to birds, I like to use the Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU) durable, heated plastic
birdbath which provides a reliable source of water when natural sources
are frozen, even to temp. below -20° F. Mount it easily to deck rails
or place it in a birdbath holder to allow visitors to drink, bathe and
keep their feathers clean all winter. It
features a built-in 150 watt, fully grounded heater that is
thermostatically controlled to conserve energy. It also has a full 4
year warranty and it’s made in the U.S.A.

Another option
is to place a birdbath heater in the bath you already have. WBU offers
two heaters that turn on and off as needed like the heated birdbath. Our
heaters are designed to be placed in concrete, plastic, resin or stone
bird baths.

Or there is the birdbath de-icer. Its
affordable foil construction is ideal for shallow birdbaths and stays on
all the time at a low wattage to keep a circle of melted water in your
bath. The 3-prong cord is fully grounded and has a one year limited
warranty.